Rechargeable batteries continue to expand into greater numbers of consumer and other electronic devices. In particular, laptop and notebook computers and similar devices utilize batteries that are relied upon to provide portable computing power.
Although portable computing devices can be utilized in any location, such devices are not generally charged and then run solely on battery power. Much of the operation of such a mobile device may actually be in stationary operation while connected to an AC adapter. When a notebook PC (NBPC) is used with an AC adapter, an attached battery pack is fully charged most, or all, of the time. However, leaving the battery pack in a charged state can create safety hazards.
In one example, there is a potential risk if a low quality battery cell or pack is used in a mobile device. For example, the cathode and anode in a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery can potentially swell at a charged state. If a low quality cell contains metal particles, the charged state may cause the metal particles to penetrate a separator that is between the cathode and anode, and thus may cause an internal short-circuit.
In a second example, users may use an inauthentic battery pack or cell in a mobile computer device, where “inauthentic” cell or pack indicates the battery cell or pack is not supported by the device manufacturer. If a battery control unit, also referred to herein as a BMU (Battery Management Unit), is mismatched with the battery pack or cell, this may result in the battery being overcharged. The overcharging of a battery can result in significant safety issues, such as explosion, ignition, or other battery failure. An inauthentic cell or pack may be of low quality, thus may result in dangerous conditions in charging.